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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · present · can · wax · key · file · saw · lash

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. file — a document
  7. present — there
  8. key — the most important part
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. track — a song
  12. can — to be able to
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. key — for a lock
  15. present — a gift
  16. saw — the tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. present — the time now
  20. can — a tin
  21. file — a tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. wax — to grow
  24. lash — an eyelash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com